This page intentionally left blank. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Current State .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Assessing the Current State ..................................................................................... 2 1.2 History of Freight Development in Will County ...................................................... 4 1.3 Freight Policy and Regulatory Context Influencing Freight Mobility .................. 5 1.3.1 National Freight Policy.................................................................................. 5 1.3.2 State and Local Freight Policy .................................................................... 9 1.3.3 Trends Impacting the Freight Industry ...................................................... 16 1.4 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................. 22 1.4.1 Freight Flows in Will County ........................................................................ 25 1.4.2 Commodity Flow ......................................................................................... 31 1.4.3 Truck .............................................................................................................. 33 1.4.4 Rail ................................................................................................................. 41 1.4.5 Water ............................................................................................................ 44 1.4.6 Pipeline ......................................................................................................... 48 1.4.7 Air .................................................................................................................. 50 1.4.8 Economic Impacts of Freight in Will County ........................................... 50 1.5 Peer Comparisons: Will County in Context .......................................................... 56 1.5.1 Comparing Across Peer Regions .............................................................. 57 1.5.2 Employment and Wages ........................................................................... 60 1.6 Investing in Freight Clusters .................................................................................... 62 1.7 Analysis of Freight Corridors, Bottlenecks, and Hotspots ................................... 66 1.7.1 Congestion .................................................................................................. 66 1.7.2 Safety ............................................................................................................ 71 1.7.3 Bridge Condition ......................................................................................... 73 1.7.4 Freight Deficiencies .................................................................................... 76 1.7.5 Quality of Life – Community Concerns .................................................... 78 1.7.6 Key Freight Corridors ................................................................................... 79 2. Goals, Objectives, and Performance Measures ........................................................ 85 2.1 Goals, Objectives and Performance Measures Development Process .......... 86 2.2 Goals, Objectives and Performance measures ................................................. 88 2.2.1 Goal Areas ................................................................................................... 88 2.2.2 Safety ............................................................................................................ 89 2.2.3 Mobility ......................................................................................................... 90 2.2.4 Preservation Enhancement ....................................................................... 91 2.2.5 Workforce ..................................................................................................... 92 WI LL COUNTY COMM UNI TY FRI ENDLY FREI GHT M OBI LI TY PLAN I TABLE OF CONTENTS 2.2.6 Economic Competitiveness ...................................................................... 93 2.2.7 Community .................................................................................................. 94 2.3 Next Steps ................................................................................................................ 95 2.3.1 Analyze Data ............................................................................................... 95 2.3.2 Set Targets .................................................................................................... 95 2.3.3 Project selection Process ........................................................................... 95 3. Future State .................................................................................................................... 97 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 97 3.1.1 Guiding Vision .............................................................................................. 97 3.2 Inventory of Future Freight Modal Needs and Opportunities ........................... 98 3.2.1 Future Freight Clusters – Linked to the Existing Freight Clusters ............. 98 3.2.2 Linked Freight and Commuter Corridors/Connectors ......................... 103 3.3 Future Freight Growth ........................................................................................... 107 3.3.1 Truck ............................................................................................................ 107 3.3.2 Rail ............................................................................................................... 111 3.3.3 Water .......................................................................................................... 115 3.3.4 Pipeline ....................................................................................................... 117 3.3.5 Air ................................................................................................................ 118 3.4 Future Traffic Growth on Key Corridors .............................................................. 119 3.4.1 Top-Down Method .................................................................................... 120 3.4.2 Conclusions ................................................................................................ 125 3.5 Community and Environmental Effects of Freight ........................................... 125 3.5.1 Addressing Community Effects of Freight.............................................. 126 3.5.2 Addressing Environmental Effects of Freight ......................................... 132 3.6 Analysis of International, National and Regional Future Trends ..................... 135 3.6.1 Results From Scenario Planning Exercise ............................................... 135 3.6.2 Future Freight Trends and Impacts on Will County ............................... 137 3.7 Key Findings and Links to Strategic Planning .................................................... 150 3.8 Project Prioritization Process ................................................................................ 156 3.8.1 Step 1. Identify projects ............................................................................ 157 3.8.2 Step 2. Initial screening ............................................................................. 157 3.8.3 Ranking of Projects - Establish Strategic Direction ............................... 159 3.8.4 Determine Data Availability .................................................................... 159 3.8.5 Develop Project Evaluation Filters .......................................................... 159 3.8.6 Project Weighting and Ranking .............................................................. 162 3.8.7 Prioritization Results ................................................................................... 169 3.9 Program Recommendations ............................................................................... 169 3.9.1 Establish Strong Partnerships .................................................................... 169 3.9.2 Implement Investment Priorities .............................................................. 173 3.9.3 Improve East-West Connectivity ............................................................. 173 3.9.4 Develop and Communicate a Transparent Freight Network............. 173 II I LL OUNTY OMM UNI TY RI ENDLY REI GHT OBI LI TY LAN W C C F F M P TABLE OF CONTENTS 3.9.5 Improve Coordination of Oversize/Overweight Permitting Between Jurisdictions ................................................................................................ 174 3.9.6 Increase Air Cargo Capacity .................................................................. 174 3.9.7 Focus on First and Last Mile Connections .............................................. 175 3.9.8 Expand Data Collection – Focus on Freight Clusters and Corridors .. 175 3.9.9 Coordinate Transportation and Land Use Planning ............................ 175 3.9.10 Use Technology to Improve Highway Operations ............................... 177 3.9.11 Increase Workforce Mobility to Job Centers ......................................... 177 3.9.12 Strategic Implementation Matrix ............................................................ 178 3.10 Link to Funding Opportunities .............................................................................